1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing method, an image processing apparatus and an image processing program, more specifically to a technique of emphasizing catch lights in pupils.
2. Description of the Related Art
An amusement seal printing machine which combines and prints a face photograph and a template image is desired to print the face photograph by making the eyes bright and make the face impressive. Specifically, it is important to emphasize catch lights in pupils.
If sharpness is strengthened for the photographed image to “make eyes bright” and “make catch lights clear”, however, the person's skin roughness is emphasized or a noise caught at taking the picture is emphasized. This may lead a problem in emphasizing roughness of the surface.
An image processing method (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-75374) has been proposed for solving the problem. This conventional method has an operator specify a region of an eye and strengthen a contrast in the region in order to emphasize catch lights in pupils.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-40154 discloses a technique for performing morphology filter process to prevent granulation of a film which appears on an image read from a photo film.